Van accident kills three

MUARA TEWEH, Central Kalimantan: Three people were killed and seven others were rescued when a van veered off the road and plunged into a three-meter deep lake in Rarawa village, Gunung Timang subdistrict, some 75 kilometers south of here Tuesday.

Two of the victims who died were identified as Kusuma Wardani, 9, and Aulia, 5, daughters of the head of Montalat district, Aswadianor, who survived the accident.

The other victim has yet to be identified.

North Barito Police spokesman, Lt. Col. Sugeng, said the driver of the van, Sudianor, admitted that he was not paying attention when the van swerved into the lake.

Sudianor was adjusting the car cassette recorder when the van, which was traveling at a high speed, plunged into the lake. The van tipped over and quickly sank to the bottom of the lake, Antara reported.